Not applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structural method of mounting fans on a computer system board. More precisely, the present invention relates to a mounting arrangement allowing the installation and removal of one or more hot-pluggable fans, either individually or as a group, in without the use of tools.
2. Background of the Invention
The necessity for specialized computer equipment has increased dramatically over recent years. Corporations, both large and small, as well as individual consumers have come to depend on computers to enhance and assist them in a broad assortment of tasks. For the individual or small business, personal computers are typically relatively compact and streamlined, often comprising a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and a CPU xe2x80x9cboxxe2x80x9d that sits on a desktop or on the floor. These personal computers, although considered compact when deployed in relatively small numbers, can be quite cumbersome and bulky when deployed in larger quantities. It is not uncommon for an organization to require several computers to act as servers controlling their local area networks. For larger corporations that require numerous servers, the traditional CPU package is not practical to house servers. For such operations, an industry standard EIA (Electronics Industries Alliance) rack is often used to contain servers in a stacked arrangement that uses the available space more efficiently.
Such electronics racks are relatively simple structures that closely resemble open-frame bookcases. Computer server/component racks are typically constructed with perforated, hinged front-doors, rigid sides and a removable rear panel. Industry standard 19xe2x80x3 EIA electronics racks are designed typically to house a column of electronics packages that are 17xc2xexe2x80x3 in width and with varying depths. The height of an electronics package can vary but, to be compatible with the rack mounting structure, must be an integer multiple of an EIA unit called simply the xe2x80x9cU.xe2x80x9d An EIA U is 1.75 inches. Electronic equipment generally has a height in multiples of xe2x80x9cUsxe2x80x9d e.g., 1 U (1.75xe2x80x3), 2 U (3.50xe2x80x3), 3 U (5.25xe2x80x3), etc. Although it is preferred that the height of the electronics components be a multiple of the standard EIA unit U, the dimension of the EIA unit is understood to represent a maximum allowable height, including both the height of the component and any clearance required. This amount of clearance aides in the installation of the rack mounted electronics and promotes interference free insertion and removal.
Typically, electronic components may be secured within the rack using a pair of drawer slides. The drawer slides, usually ball-bearing supported rails, are secured in place within the rack frame. Corresponding rails are located on the side surfaces of the electronics component to be mounted, thus allowing the component to be pulled in and out of the rack frame easily to allow quick and frequent access.
As the computing needs of both large and small businesses increase, there is increasing demand for computer servers to become smaller and more compact. This demand is coupled with the demand that the systems be easier to maintain and service. A typical server comprises at least one, often times more than one, of each of the following components: system board including processors and memory; power supplies; disk drives, including hard disks, floppy drives, CD-ROM drives, etc.; peripheral component interface (PCI) buses, and cooling fans. Mounting all of these components in a dense packed server, some as small as 1 U or 2 U, creates many interface issues associated with maintaining and accessing the server.
The cooling fans in a server may have to be removed and installed, both for servicing the fan and servicing other components. A typical server has several fans for circulating air through the system to aid in controlling the temperature. These fans run essentially continuously and will likely have to be replaced several times during the life of the server in the event of a fan failure. Additionally, many other standard maintenance tasks for the server include first removing the fans in order to gain better access to other components. Most prior art cooling fans were fixed in place by one or more screws, which made the removal of a bank of several fans a tedious and time consuming process.
Therefore, there remains a need in the art for an arrangement that allows for easy installation and removal of fans from a server computer without using any tools. The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art while focusing on these needs.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a system to mount a group of fans on the system board of a computer server. The mounting system allows for the fans to be installed or removed as a group or as individual components without the use of tools. The fans are hot-pluggable, or capable of being installed or removed without having to turn off the server. Therefore, an entire group of fans can be removed from a server without using any tools or having to power down the system. The fans can also be removed and installed as individual units, without effecting the other fans in the group.